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This Danish Designer Shows How to Wear Fur to Work

Fur may seem a bit indulgent for the office, but for Barbara Potts—one-half of Saks Potts, the line of prismatic pelts that has topped the wish list of every editor on the Eastern seaboard—they are very much at the center of her workwear. Since launching the brand in 2013 with her partner Cathrine Saks, the Copenhagen native’s full-time job has become about challenging a traditional view of fur by mixing hyper-vivid colorways, strong shapes, and supple hairs. By extension, reworking the idea of exactly who wears furs is also key, and Potts’s own closet is proof of this. Her vibrant and unexpected wardrobe proves that the luxurious item can indeed effortlessly transform from prim accessory to louche coolness.

Potts is apt to throw a floor-length brightly hued topper over a combination of dreamy printed vintage dresses, streetwise oversize hoodies, or cheeky pink vinyl pants for an irreverent twist on workwear. Hopping on her bike, she lets her fur trail behind her as she whisks between art history classes and fittings.

Here, the 23-year-old designer tells us all about her fanciful approach to dressing for the job, how Danish architecture inspires her work, and why the post-Soviet fashion wave speaks to her.

Naturally CreativeMy passion for clothes has always been very strong, but I have also been very attracted by the art industry and fashion magazines. Cathrine, who is the other half of Saks Potts, and I were only 19 years old when we started the company. We didn’t have any real fashion education. We just made what we thought was cool and followed our intuition. We didn’t know what the “right way” was; we just went our own way. But I’ve taken some courses at Central Saint Martins and currently I’m studying art history at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.

Saks AppealThe Saks Potts girl has no age; she is more a type who loves colors and loves to play with her own style. We love when women mix our clothes with other brands and styles because our clothes should be used in many ways and for any occasion. We have just launched our newest collection, which we are very proud of. It takes you on a modern-day adventure through the magnificent nature of Switzerland, where the combination of ruffles, pleats, and fur work as camouflage in the Swiss landscape. The colors have their origin in the Swiss alpine flowers and the characteristic national flag, and it presents a wide range and introduces fine Swakara fur in collaboration with Kopenhagen Fur. We just showed the collection at the Copenhagen Fashion Week.

Style-Ready for a Bike RideNo days at work are the same. We are always in so many different places. I have no work uniform—you’ll see me in many different outfits. I have a full-time job and I also go to school, so my style is often very comfortable. I do always wear warm clothes because here in Copenhagen, we go everywhere by bike. Riding a bike is like meditation for me. But my style is a mix of everything: I love a different cut, unexpected colors, fur, and crazy prints; I love to mix materials and textures. I don’t like when there is too much of the same thing, and I will never compromise on quality.

Vintage That Feels FreshI often wear vintage dresses and shirts. Vintage makes you feel that you’re wearing something unique that no one else has, and I love that! I’m very fond of Marni for her crazy and feminine designs. I am fascinated by The Row, but for work, I tend to wear brands like Maryam Nassir Zadeh and Sophie Bille Brahe and mix them in with my own designs. You could see me in a pair of classic Prada pants, a pretty Saks Potts silk top with a nice print and a delicate cashmere sweater. My mink jacket from Saks Potts, which was made in a collaboration with Kopenhagen Fur, definitely makes me feel like a boss. It is in every way the most beautiful jacket. It’s classic, cool, and different all at once.

The Post-Soviet Effect Has Reached DenmarkI often wear outfits that are very colorful, and maybe a bit complicated, so I get inspired by people whose sense of style is a bit more classic. But I am also fascinated by the post-Soviet milieu, which is very in vogue right now with Demna Gvasalia and Lotta Volkova. During Copenhagen Fashion Week, you saw the post-Soviet aesthetic in the streets, and also on the runways at other international fashion weeks.

The Danish EffectIt is amazing growing up in Copenhagen. There are so many influential artists and designers in Denmark—Arne Jacobsen, Poul Kjærholm, Olafur Eliasson, and Michael Elmgreen from Elmgreen og Dragset—and the architecture is fantastic. I really love the art museum Louisiana, which is located north of Copenhagen: It is one of the most beautiful museums in the world. And we have some really strong and cool designers here in Denmark. My good friend Sophie Bille Brahe makes the most beautiful jewelry and another good friend Amanda Borberg creates beautiful and delicate silk designs and swimwear. Danish design is typically minimalistic and has always been very black. But I think that it has changed in the last couple of years. Thanks in part to what we have achieved here, it’s definitely become more experimental.